Farmers' Almanac: Winter Could Be Ugly

With the high cost of heating oil in the back of many people's minds, news just released from the Farmers' Almanac will do little to ease fares of expensive bills come this winter.

Farmers' Almanac is predicting below-average temperatures for most of the U.S. this winter. The publication claims an accuracy rate of 80 to 85 percent for its forecasts that are prepared two years ahead of time.

The almanac's 2009 edition, which goes on sale Tuesday, reports at least two-thirds of the country can look to see colder-than-average temperatures this winter, with only the Far West and Southeast suited for near-normal readings.

The almanac is looking for above-normal snowfall for the Great Lakes and Midwest, especially during January and February, and above-normal precipitation for the Southwest in December and for the Southeast in January and February. The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions will likely have an unusually wet or snowy February, according to the almanac.

On the other hand, the usually wet Pacific Northwest could be a bit drier than normal in February.

If there is some good news, the almanac differs with the National Weather Service, whose trends-based outlook reports warmer than normal weather this winter over much of the country, including Alaska. The almanac and the weather service do agree, however, in looking to a chance of a drier winter in the Northwest.

The majority of the almanacs are sold to insurers, banks and other businesses that give them away.